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Low-Flying Plane An Inexcusable Farce

In this image taken with a cell phone by Jason McLane, the primary presidential aircraft, a Boeing 747 known as Air Force One when the president is aboard, flies low over New York Harbor, followed by an F-16 chase plane during a federal government photo op, April 27, 2009.

There is anger a-plenty about flying a 747 Air Force One-like plane around lower Manahttan with a jet fighter escort.

And with good reason.

Mayor Bloomberg is mad. President Obama is mad. People who saw it flipped out. 9/11 flash backs were common. But, beyond the boneheaded idea to OK it, there's more for which to be concerned. We hear this was all for a photo-op. Someone wanted a picture of the plane with the Statue of Liberty in the frame.

How does the buck not stop with the initial request?

Every time you roll an airplane out of hangar it costs serious money. A 747 and a fighter jet? Even more. Where is the person with even the tiniest bit of horse sense to say, 'Uh … maybe you've heard there's a recession going on.'

Apparently no one inside the beltway bubble. So we're outraged and somehow not surprised.